"After hearing my story," Yarul said, "my father Zin reacted swiftly.
He stationed guards around the cursed cave—
and sent a message to the Lahul Community, asking for help."
Five days passed.
Five long, terrifying days.
Yarul's condition worsened.
Doctors tried everything—herbs, ointments, heat compresses—but nothing worked.
The wound on his leg was turning green, glowing faintly under the skin like something alive was spreading inside.
"Your grandfather Zin only cared about one thing," Yarul whispered.
"To kill that tiger."
On the fifth day, the Lahul warriors arrived—
led by a man whose name still carried weight in old myths.
Jedu.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, his eyes cold like stone.
People said he had once killed a wild bull with his bare hands.
"At night," Yarul said, "they made a plan.
At dawn, we would attack the cave."
The combined forces of Yaksha and Lahul—almost forty warriors—marched toward the cave at first light.
Zin walked at the front, jaw tight, eyes burning with vengeance.
Behind him stood the Lahul warriors, their armor of bone and hide shimmering in the pale light.
Inside the cave, their torches revealed horrors far worse than before.
They found three bodies—
the corpses of Yug, Ryu, and Shyol.
The tiger hadn't eaten them.
Their bodies were arranged carefully…
as if displayed.
"As if the beast wanted to show Zin exactly what it had done," Yarul whispered.
The sight broke many warriors.
Some vomited.
Others dropped their weapons.
But Zin clenched his jaw and shouted:
"Find him.
We end this today!"
They split up, searching every corner—
But the cave was empty.
A strange, heavy silence pressed on them all.
The sun was setting.
"We must leave," Lahul warriors insisted. "Darkness is its domain."
But Zin refused.
"We stay. We finish this today."
Against their will, the warriors obeyed.
The torches flickered weakly as night consumed the cave.
Then—
A scream.
One of the guards outside.
Then another.
Then a third.
All voices silenced abruptly.
Everyone inside froze.
They ran outside—
and saw four bodies lying on the ground, torn open, throats ripped.
Zin roared:
"FAN OUT! FIND HIM!"
Warriors searched desperately.
The cave echoed with panic.
Only one man remained calm—
Jedu.
His eyes showed no fear.
Only focus.
The tiger began killing again.
One by one.
Leaping from the shadows.
Tearing through armor like dried leaves.
Slashing throats, ripping limbs.
Within minutes, only Zin, Jedu, and four soldiers remained.
From the dark, the tiger finally emerged.
Huge.
Monstrous.
Flesh still raw from old wounds.
Green blood dripping from its face.
It launched itself at Jedu—
But Jedu countered instantly, steel clashing against claw in a spray of sparks.
They circled each other—
two predators, sizing the other's weakness.
Both leapt.
Both struck.
Jedu's blade sliced the tiger's shoulder—
and thick green blood splattered across the stone.
But the tiger's claws slashed Jedu's chest—
three deep gouges that cracked bone.
Blood poured from Jedu's wounds like a falling river.
Still, he didn't step back.
Instead, he smiled.
"Tell me," Jedu said, coughing blood, "what happened to you? What turned you into this?"
The tiger breathed heavily.
Then spoke—
its voice deep, rough, almost human.
"Humans… want everything for themselves.
Their greed… destroys nature.
Destroys balance."
Jedu smirked.
"And what are you doing now?"
The tiger growled.
"You came into my domain to kill me. Should I sit quietly and welcome death?"
Zin tried to strike—
but the tiger dodged easily.
It turned toward Zin.
"Oh, Zin…" the beast sneered.
"You were never a warrior."
Zin's eyes widened.
"You still know my name…"
The tiger laughed—
a chilling, echoing laugh.
"This," the tiger roared, "is all because of your people ".
Your people used my kind.
Used our power.
Used our innocence.
Used our blood."
Zin shouted in anger, "We did nothing! You misunderstand—"
The tiger snapped.
"Then what happened to Sukal and Divya"?
Zin stepped back.
"I don't know what happened when I reached there everything was finished"
The tiger's eyes blazed.
"You killed them."
He took a threatening step forward.
You crushed their trust.
And now, you will pay."
Zin lowered his sword, sweat dripping.
"I don't know anything about this," Zin whispered.
The tiger snarled.
"You soon will.
Because I will destroy all your tribes.
One by one.
Slowly.
Painfully."
It leaned close, staring into Zin's terrified eyes.
"And you… Zin…
you will live.
Long enough to watch your people die."
With the last of his strength, Jedu stood.
He lifted his sword and charged with a roar—
But the tiger moved like a shadow.
It dodged, spun, and struck.
Its claw cut through Jedu's throat—
ending the great warrior in a single blow.
Jedu dropped to his knees, blood soaking the ground.
The tiger let his body fall, lifeless.
Then it turned to Zin.
"You live," it said.
"And you carry my message."
Zin couldn't breathe.
He ran.
He ran for his life.
🏃♂️ THE RETURN TO YAKSHA
Zin reached the community at dawn.
Alone.
Covered in blood.
Eyes hollow.
Soul broken.
People rushed to him.
"Chief? What happened?"
"Where are the others?"
"Where is Jedu?"
"Where is the beast?"
Zin couldn't speak.
He stumbled inside his hut.
And saw Yarul lying unconscious on the bed—
the strange green infection spreading up his leg.
Doctors were panicking.
They didn't know what this infection was.
Zin fell to his knees and whispered,
"What have I done…
What have we unleashed…"
Tears streamed down his face.
"Now… what will become of us?"
He made two decisions that day:
He would find a cure for Yarul's infection.
He would abandon the Yaksha land and move the entire community far away… before the beast returned.
And thus began the long, painful journey